Insulin resitance

Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases are highly prevalent in Western countries and associated with insulin resitance and metabolic syndrome. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by lobular inflammation and hepatocellular ballooning, and may be associated with liver fibrosis leading to cirrhosis and its complications as hepatocarcinoma. The presence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus or increased liver enzymes in patients with metabolic syndrome should prompt non-invasive screening (liver ultrasound, serum markers and/or transient elastography) to predict steatosis, NASH and fibrosis...

BACKGROUND: Irisin, a hormone like myokine, is identified to the relation with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome recently. In the literature to date, there are no studies evaluating serum irisin levels in psoriasis patients. We aimed to elucidate the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in psoriasis patients by evaluating serum irisin levels and metabolic parameters associated with insulin resistance in patients with plaque-type psoriasis vulgaris. METHODS: The study included 40 patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque-type psoriasis vulgaris and 37 healthy subjects...

AIM: Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine and depressed ghrelin levels have been found to be associated with insulin resistance in a number of clinical situations, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. This study was designed to determine the relationship of plasma homocysteine and ghrelin levels with obesity in polycystic ovary syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-four adolescents and young women (24 lean, 20 obese) 16-21 years old with polycystic ovary syndrome and age matched 20 healthy adolescents and young women were participated the study...

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) emerged from an anecdotal disease first described in 1981 to the most common cause of incident chronic liver disease at the end of the current decade. This article describes, from a historical perspective, some of the landmark changes in our perception and understanding of this disease. Natural history studies have shown the potential for serious liver damage and ultimately increased overall and liver-related mortality. The recognition of insulin resitance as an almost universal underlying condition in patients with NASH, its role as a major determinant of steatogenesis and possibly liver disease progression contributed to the identification of a probable cause for this disease, one that is amenable to therapeutic intervention...

PURPOSE: In our study, we investigated the influence of plasma levels ghrelin, leptin and other metabolic hormones (ILGF-1 and ILGF-2) in pregnants in regulating fetal body weight and mode of delivery. METHODS: A total of 36 appropriately healthy pregnants 19-36-year-old were involved in the study. Demographic characteristics, serum ghrelin, leptin, IGF-1 and IGF-2 levels of the pregnants were studied. RESULTS: Plasma ghrelin and leptin levels did not differ significantly among trimesters and delivery, in contrast to IGF-I and IGF-II concentrations were significantly higher in the first half of the pregnancy (P < 0...

OBJECTIVE: Analyse the relation between insulin resistance and severe preeclampsia (SPE). METHODS: Case control study paired by body mass index and gestational age; including 16 patients with severe SPE and 16 normotensive controls. Insulin resistance was assessed through the HOMA-IR and QUICKI-IS indexes. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the HOMA-IR and QUICKI-IS indexes and HDL cholesterol. Triglyceride levels were higher and the IGF-1 was lower in the SPE group than in the control group...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There is little research about the relation of REE and insulin resistance with gender. The aim of our work was to study gender differences in REE and insulin resistance in obese patients. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A population of 131 obesity patients was analyzed in a prospective way. The following variables were specifically recorded: age, smoking habit, drinking habit, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio...

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence and magnitude of weight gain associated with valproic acid (VPA) monotherapy in male and female epilepsy patients and to determine possible gender-specific differences in frequency of carbohydrate craving, body-composition, glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism. METHODS: Epilepsy patients on VPA monotherapy were consecutively recruited at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University. Weight gain during VPA-therapy, frequency of carbohydrate craving and physical exercise, sociopsychological problems and family history for diabetes were obtained from all patients...